Passport & Plate - Uncle Kalo's Trini Roti
Canada | Thursday, March 5, 2015 | 5 photos
Ingredients
Marinade:
1 1/2 pounds of chicken thighs
2 cups plain yogurt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
Curry:
1/4 cup cooking oil (corn or sunflower)
2 onions, chopped fine
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon cumin (or roasted cumin)
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 red birds eye chili peppers, minced
1 teaspoon of salt (to taste)
2 cups chicken stock
1 12-ounce (398 ml) can of coconut milk
2 large potatoes (about 2 cups), peeled & cubed
2 cups taro root, peeled and cubed
1 – 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
Roti Wrap Recipe:
grapeseed oil for cooking
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of sugar
2 teaspoons cooking oil (corn or sunflower)
3/4 cups lukewarm water
How to prepare this recipe:
1. Marinade: In bowl, combine yogurt, minced garlic and spices. Season chicken thighs well with salt before adding them to yogurt curry marinade, and covering to rest in the fridge for eight hours, or overnight.
2. Curry: Remove chicken from fridge and with hands, wipe away most of marinade and cut into good sized strips/chunks and reserve wet and cold. Heat good sized pot with about half the oil and sweat onions until tender. Add remaining oil, garlic, ginger, spices and chilies and cook, stirring constantly to prevent burning and create a thick curry paste, allowing flavors to release.
3. Saute the chicken in hot curry paste, about 5 minutes, then cover with stock and coconut milk and stir to coat. Add potato and taro root and bring to a boil (add water if needed to cover) and reduce heat to a low and simmer – an hour or more. As the sauce thickens check seasoning, add additional heat (chilies) if needed add salt to taste. As roti wraps are finishing, add fresh coriander and stir, removing from heat to serve.
For Roti Wrap:
1. In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, salt & sugar, drizzle with oil and mix thoroughly. Knead in water to make your dough. As the dough begins to bind, move dough onto floured surface and knead until smooth, about 3 minutes. Wet hands with cooking oil and rub over the dough then place in clean bowl and allow to rest for 30 – 40 minutes.
2. Knead rested dough for about 90 seconds. Divide dough in to four even balls, pat each into a round, flat disk. Move dough on to a floured surface and roll into round sheets about 8-inches wide with a rolling pin.
3. Lightly brush flat roti wrap with oil and place on a hot, flat skillet. Cook each side for about 2 minutes until brown bubbles begin to appear. Remove and cool.
To assemble: Place a scoop of of curry in the middle of the roti and fold, left over right then top and bottom, to form a rectangular bundle. Serve fold down, to hold it perfectly in place.
The story behind this recipe:
Cruise ship travel is a sanitary experience. Never one to turn down a free trip, I went anyway. Stops in local ports offered temporary reprieve and the opportunity for more authentic passage. Docking in Nassau I bypassed touristy stalls and wandered local neighborhoods instead, camera in hand. Pastel painted houses and conch shell walkways caught my eye. Laundry fluttering in the breeze, big welcoming smiles, and the scent of something wonderful; curry mixed with charcoal and, what turned out to be goat. I soon found a roti hut in what was once a carriage house down a narrow dirt lane. The door was open and the matron of the establishment, a big busted woman named Hanna, waved me in. That first roti, bubbling over coals, the bread made hot and fast then stuffed and sealed in wax paper, became the essence of the Caribbean for me. Each time I returned I would enlist savvy locals to seek out the neighborhood roti house, long before I wrote about such things. Over the years, trekking through the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica and as deep as the Honduran island of Roatan, I encountered layers of flavor, and the tactical use of ingredients unique to each culture. Some add heat, some favor salt and curing, some jerk, while others lean toward curry and cumin. I have a collection of accompanying recipes, but I’ve never been able to replicate the experience at home. One day in the professional kitchen, my chef asked me to tackle a recipe unique to his West Indian heritage; Uncle Kalo’s Trini Roti. With basic direction and his palate as guidance, I hit every note I’d once missed. The blend of coconut, garlic, ginger and roasted cumin filled the kitchen with warmth. Documenting each step, I recorded the recipe for his use and mine. Since then it’s become one of the most popular recipes on my blog and my go-to comfort food when I’m home bound, missing salt and sand. Roti, a working man’s meal. Best served with an icy coke - and a smile.
